Apparatus for making and vending sanitary cups.



J. POWERS.

APPARATUS POR MAKING AND VENDING-SANITARY CUPS.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1912'.-

` Patenmea Nov. 4, 1913.

,4 SHEETS-'SHEET l.

III!

mNVENTOR,

Wwf-)dwang WITNESS-fs I i y ATTORNEY J. POWERS.- APPARATUS FOR MAKINGAND VENDING SANITARY GUPS. I

APPLICATION PILPD APRA, 1912.

11,077,298r P Patented NOV.4,1913.

` 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 1

" 6% JameJPQwe/w,

WITNESSES INVENTOR,

ATTORN EY Patented N OV. 4, 1913` J. POWERS. P MAKING AND VENDING SANITARY CUPS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4,1912.

'APPARATUS POP INVENTO R,

ATTORNEY CEU/L65 Pmi/@n2 J. POWERS. APPARATUS POR MAKING AND VBNDING SANITARY CUPS.

APPLICATION FILED A1 `.4,19124 l Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

RNVENTOR) i WITNESSES ATTORN EY JAMES POWERS, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND VENIBIN'G4 SANITARY CUPS.

lSpeciiication of Letters Patent,

Patented Nev. a, 1913.

Application led April 4, 1912. Serial No. 688,487.

To all wl: om t may concern: a

Be it known that I, JAMES Pownns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Making and Vending Sanitary Cups, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in apparatus for making and vending sanitary cups, and. its object is to provide an apparatus whereby a cup for drinking and like purposes is made and delivered by the apparatus by a single simple actuation of the apparatus by an operator, the ap- Y paratus being usually provided with a coin control after-the practice prevailing in vending machines.

Many people `object either from sanitary or fast-idious reasons to the use of a coin-v mon drinking cup or glass, especially in public or semi-public places, or wherever there is a possibility of transfer of disease from one person to another through such medium, and oftentimes persons. of refined tastes object to t-he common use of drinking cups or glasses, even though there be no fear of contracting disease from such use. In most instances there is no cleansing of the cup or glass for long periods of time, and, again, such cleansing as may be attempted s oftenl very. iinperfectly performed 4and many persons are forced to forego the use of various kinds of drinks by reason of the repugnance caused by lack of cleanliness.

It has been proposed to provi-de individual sanitary drinking cups made of some cheap material, usually paraflin paper, but such cups as heretofore provided, although contained in closed receptacles and delivered one at a time to the user, are only seemingly sanitary for it frequently happens that such cups are handled many times between their manufacture and the delivery of the cups to the individual purchasers. Such cups after coming from the machine by which they are manufactured are packed, shipped, then unpacked, then carried to the receptacle from which they are ultimately delivered to the urchaser, and many times the cups are subjected to frequent .handlings by not ove-iclean attendants, and possibly by diseased persons, so that while the fastidious person might not be shocked, because ignorant of the actual conditions, the danger jof the transfer of diseaselis still to a marked degree presentfmBy the present inv'etiiion these objectionable features are whol1yelim=AV nated, for the cup is made complete in the vending n iachineor apparatus, which latter may be so inclosed as to avoid contamination, and the only part which is at all handled is a compact roll of paraiiin paper which may bev produced in roll form by a suitable machine free from contact with any persons, and even though it be necessary to 4handle the roll of paper in order to introduce it into the vending machine, the only contact by those handling the roll is with the outer surface of the roll and with the edges thereof, and by removing .the outer layer of the roll after having been introduced into the machine no part of the paper so touched by the handlers, whenA such paper is subsequently made into cups, is exposed to contact by the' purchaser so that the cups are in the truefsense of the word'sanitary.

In a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention the paper is drawn from the roll, cut off in a suitable length, folded, and refolded, and delivered to the purchaser inthe form of a cup capable of holding .water or other 'liquids without leaking, the water-tight condition f being brought about solely by the manner of folding the cup and without the'use of adhesives, the whole operation being performed by a simple movement on the part of the purchaser.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the further understanding that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, thc latter may assume other practical forms without departure from the salient features of 4the invention, wherefore the invention is not confined to any strictconformity with the showing of the drawings.

In the drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the apparatus with the casing in section to expose the interior of the structure. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. l as viewed from the left hand -end of Fig. l, the casing being shown in section, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig'. 2. Fig'. l is a section on the line 4&4 of Fig. l, but drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 5 is a section o n the line 5 5 of F ig. t with distant parts omitted. Fig. 6 isvan elevati-on of the side of the machine remote from that shown in `F ig. 1 with the upper portion of the machine omitted. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2 and drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the complete cup with the liquid receiving end expanded, the body of the cup being in part broken away and shown in section.

rlhe device of the present invention is designed to produce drinking cups for water or other liquids, and while not confined'to any particular material for the production of the cups, parallin paper is particularly adapted for the purpose, and without .confining the invention to the use of paraffin paper, the material of the cup will herein after be referred to as paraffin paper for .convenience of description.

Before describing the apparatus, the structure of the cup y itself will be briefly described with reference to Fig.

8, The cup is formed of a 4sheet 1 of paraffin paper, usually considerably longer than wide, and folded intermediately, so that the body of the cup is half as long as the sheet from which it is made. Each sheet l is cut from a suitable roll of parallin paper to be hereinafter referred to, and after the intermediate `fold is produced the edges thus brought together are folded together toward the center line of the lcup, this fold being indicated at 2, and after this fold 2 is produced, another fold Sis made, so that the first fold 2 is confined between the fold 3 and the body of the cup. Each fold as made is crimped or otherwise operated upon so that the paper layers are brought into intimate contact and ina manner embedded one in the other, the second fold housing the free edges of the first fold, while the crimping so compresses the layers together and unites the parallin with which the paper is impregnated that these edges stick closely together, and sufliciently cohere to prevent the escape of any liquid which may be placed in the cup, the weight of the liquid being insufficient to cause separation of the folded edges to an extent permitting escape of liquid,` so that the cup is for all practical purposes liquid-tight. When in use the folded edges of the cup at the open end of the latter are pressed together by the user so that the open endr is expanded, wherefore the cup provides a container capable of holding as much wat-er as is usually desired to quench the thirst if water be the liquid used, while the cup will withstand numerous fillings.

Referring now to the other figures of the drawing, there is shown a base il carrying side frame members 5 spaced apart a suflicient distance and shaped to support mechanisms to be described. Erected on each frame member 5 is a post or standard 6 terminating at the upper end in bearings for a shaft 7 designed to carry a roll 8- of parailin paper of. appropriate width to permit the formation of the cups 1 with their Side folds 2 and 3. The roll 8 contains Sullicient paper for many cups, and may be readily protected from contamination from the time it leaves the machine on which it is manufactured to the time of its introduction into the machine. of the present invention,

and then the only chance of contamination is at the ends of the roll, which ends are folded tightly within the side portions of the complete cup, and hence are not reached by the mouth of the user of the cup, so that should contamination by some remote chance occur, liability of danger to the user of the, cup is so reduced as to be practically negligible, while all those parts of the cup eX- posed at all to handling are up to the time of the operation of the machine to form a cup completely protected from any chance of contamination at any time.l

lNhen the machine is in operation the base i 4 is lowermost and may be considered as substantially horizontal in-position, while the framemembers 5 are upright and the standards 6 are in uprising relation from the top of the frame 5. Expressions of position that may be hereinafter used have reference to the machine .when installed in operative condition.

Connecting the upper ends of the frame members 5 are pairs ofplates 9, 10, 11, respectively, these plates being spaced apart by distance strips 12, where supported by the Y frame members 5, so that between the plates there is provided a shallow laterally extendedfpassage, and the plates are so disposed that the seyeral passages defined by the two members of each pair of plates are in alinement. The pair of plates 9 is separated from the pair of plates 10 by the Short space indicated at 12, and the pair of plates 10 is separated from the pair of plates 11 by a short space indicated at 13, the spaces 19ci and 13 extending laterally of the series of plates taken as a whole. Y

Mounted in suitable journal vbearings inA the frame members 5 are rollers 14, 15, respectively, so arranged that they may contact in line with the spaces `between the plates 9, 10 and 1l adjacent those edges of the pair of plates 9 remote from the edges .defining one 'side of the space 12a.

The web of paper making up the roll 8 and for convenience of description indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 16, isintroduced between the rolls 1li and 15, and from thence between the plates 9,

across the space 12, then between the plates 1() and across the space 13, and finally between the platesll, terminating at the edge of the platesremote from t-he space 13, the paper web being then in position for operations thereon to be described.

Erected on the base 4 is a supporting member 17 carrying two opposed spaced channel members 18 and 19 between which there is mounted a frame 20 in part composed of two parallel rack bars 21,l 22 with the teeth facing and spaced apart an appropriate distance. One end of the frame 20 is provided with a slot 23 in which engages a roller 24 carried by a manipulating lever 25 having atene end a pivot support 26 in one of the side'members 5, While at the other end this lever is provided with a handle 27 in position to be grasped by the operator,

and as the complete machine-1s inclosed' in a suitable casing 28, the handle 27 is car.- ricd through the casing in position to be grasped by the operator, it being understood that the casing is appropriately shaped to permit movement of the lever handle Athrough an appropriate arc about the pivot 26. The purpose of the roller connection 24 With the frame 20 is to cause a rcciprocatory movement ot' the racks 21 and when the lever is rocked about its pivot in a'manner and for a purpose to be described.

llrected on the base 4 is a plate 29, and pivotcd at one end to this plate is a pawl 30, the free end of which is in the path of a stud or boss 31 on an arm 32 mounted on the pivot support 26, Which is in the form ot' al rock shaft journaled in the trame members 5 and extending from one to the other and through and beyond the same, the manipulating lever25 being made fast to one end of the shaft and the arm 32 to the other end of the shaft. The arm 32 is provided with two coacting lugs 33, 34 so spaced and shaped at their contiguous portionsas toform a seat for a coin or token 35 which may be delivered to this seat by means ot a chute 36 leading to the exterior of the casing 28 where provision is mad-e for the introduction onlyof a coin of appropriate size and value, The paivl 30 is provided With a shoulder 37 so positioned as to be engaged bv the coin when on the seat formed by the lugs and 34, whereupon further rocking movement of the arm 32 will cause a movement of the pawl 30 to bring its free end out of the path of the lug 31. When t-he coin 35 is not present a slight movement of the handle, and with it the arm 32, is permitted, since under normal conditions the free or engagiim` end of the paWl 30 is spaced a short distance from the lug 31, this permitting a movement ot' the arm 32 suilicientto carry a coin when positioned on the arm 32 into engagement with the shoulder 37 to move the pawl to carry its free end out of the patlrv of the lug 31, so that the paivl will then no longer interfere with the full movement of the manipulating arm to cause actuation of mechanisms to be described. When the manipulating arm has reached the full limit of its move-ment in one direction, the coin 35 may be discharged into a suitable receptacle, Which latter, however, is not shown in the drawings. v

Journaled in and extending through the 'side members 5 oi the frame is a shaft 38,

and this shaft extends through the frame 20 intermediate of the rack bars 21 and 22. Mounted upon the shaft 38 so as to turn thereon are tivo gear Wheels 39, 40 arranged side by side, and the rack bars 21 and 22 are displaced'with reference one to the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the shaft 38, so as to mesh with respect-ive gear wheels 39 and 40,. the rack bar 21 meshing l with the gearv Wheelc39, and the rack bar 22 with the gear Wheel 40, but the. rack bars are on opposite sides of the shaft 38, so

that when the tivo rack bars are moved in 43 is a pawl 44, and mounted on the arm` 42 by means of a pivotscrew 45 is a paWl or dog 46. Adjacent the arm 41 and fastt0 the shaft 38 is a ratchet Wheel 47, and adjacent the arm 42 and fast to the shaft 38 is a ratchet wheel 48, the ratchet Wheel 47 being in position to be engaged by the paWl or dog 44, and the' ratchet Wheel 48 being in lposition to be engaged by the pawl or dog 4G. Ther teeth of the ratchet Wheels 47 and 48 are arranged in the same direction, and the arms carried by theA gear Wheels and the dogs carried by the arms are oppositely located with respect one to the other, so that when the gea-r Wheels are simultaneously rotated in one direction the dog of one arm Will engage a tooth ot the respect-ive ratchet Wheel and' rotate the shaft 38 in a like direction, While the dog carried by the other arm Will ride i'dly over the teeth ot the respective ratchet wheel and when the gear wheels are rotated in the otherdirection the reverse operation takes place, but in cach instance the direction 'of rotation of the shaft 38 is the same, Wherefore a reciprocatory moif'ementI of the rack bars 21 and 22 will cause a continued rotationof the shaft 38 in one direction.

y Mounted on the shaft 38 adjacent the ratchet Wheel 47 is a cam 49 with theV periphery of which there engages a roller 50 on one end of a rod 51 capable of sliding in a bearing 52 carried by the corresponding frame member 5, The rod 51 at the end remote from the roller 50 is pivotally connected to the corresponding end of a rock arm 53 connected at the other end to one end of a rock shaft 54 journaled in a part of the supporting frame, and this shaft 54, which extends a distance equal to the' space between the standards 6, carries other rock arms 55 having the free ends rounded, as indicated at 56, and lodged in bearing bones 57 fast to a plate 58,-of a Width somewhat great-er than the width of the web 16a rllhis plate is mounted between upright guides 59, 60 en the respective plates 10 and 11 on opposite sides of the opening 13, and this plate is so disposed as to move through the opening 13 to an extent and for a purpose to be described.

In line with the opening13 the lower members of the pairs of plates 10 and 11 are downturned, as indicated at 61, to forni ay throat into which the plate 58 is moved in a manner to be described. In line with this throat are plates 62, 63 and other matching plates 64, 65. The plates 62, 63 have inturned side edges 66, 67, respectively, in partial embracing relation to the corresponding edges of the plates 64 and 65, and these inturned edges 66 and 67 may be provided with connecting bars 68 serving as supports for the respective plates 64 and 65,

Which are held in spaced relation to the` corresponding plates 62 and 63n The inturned portions 66 of the plate 62 are so shaped 'as to be closer together at the lower ends than where they start from the plate 62, and the same ist-rue of the inturned edges 67 of the plate 63, the space between the inturned edges 67 being narrower than the corresponding space between the inturned edges 66,'and the latter being closer together than the original width of the plate 62 ad-k jacent the dovvn-turned edges or flanges 61.

Mounted in and extending between the side members 5 of the main frame are two series of shafts 69 and 70, the shafts 69 carrying rollers 71, 72 and 73, respectively, and the shaft -70 carrying rollers 74, 7 5 and 76, respectively, these rollers having their peripheries milled or otherwise suitably formed and arranged to contact or approximately so. The rollers 71 and 74 constitute a pair of rollers at each side of the plate 62 adjacent the throat formed by the flanges 61. The rollers 72 and 75 constitute a pair of rollers at each side of the plate 63 Where adjacent the lower end of the plate 62, and the rollers 73 and 76 constitute a pair of rollers on each side of the lower end vof the plate 63. Each shaft 69 has thereon a pair of corresponding rollers, and each shaft 70 has thereon a matching pair ofA rollers, but the rollers of the uppermost shaft 69 are spaced wider apart than that of the inter1 mediate shaft, and the latter are spaced farther apart than the rollers of the lower- Inost shaft, there being three pairs of shafts` in vertical arrangement in the structure shown in thedrawings. Each shaft 69 has at oneend a sprocket wheel 77, and idler sprocket wheels 78 are vprovided upon appropriate studs carried by the corresponding frame member 5 to hold a sprocket chain 79 in engagement with the several sprocket wheels in such manner that the shafts 69 are all rotated in the same direction. The sprocket chain 79 is an endless'chain and is carried about a sprocket wheel S0 mounted on the appropriate end of the shaft-38, so that when the shaft 38 is rotated the shafts 69 will participate in such rotation, and this rotative movement of the shafts 69 causes a like rotative movement of the rollers 71, 72 and 73,- themovement being transmitted by contact to the rollers 74, 7 5 and 76.

Extending through the base 4 is an appropria'te guide channel 81 opening 'on to a shelf 32in position to be accessible to an operator of the apparatus.

Mounted on the shaft 38 isa roller 83 engaging the roller 15 to impart rotative move-V ment thereto, and this roller 15 by engaging the web 16 will cause a feeding of the web in a manner to be described, the roller 14 being rotated by engagement. with the web, which latter is clamped between the rollers 14 and 15, the parts being properly proportioned for the purpose.

Mounted on the shaft 3S near the end thereof remote from the cam disk 49 is another cam disk S4, in the path `of which there is a roller 85 on one end of a lever 86 pivoted at 37 to the appropriate member 5 of the frame, and this lever has the end remote from the roller 85 in position to engage a finger 38 fast to a knife 89 to one lside of the pivot `point 90 of the knife, the

latter being mounted to rock in a direction to traverse the opening or space 12a in shearing relation to the corresponding edge of the pair of plates 10.V rlhe knife is normally held in the inactive position by a spring 91. y

Let it be assumed that the web 16 has been threaded through the space between the plates 9, 10 and 11 to that end of the plates 11 remote from the passage 13. The plates 10 and 11 areof equal length, so that the passage 13 is equally spaced from the knifel or cutter 39 and the end of the plates 11 remote from the space 13. Assuming further that a suitable coin has been introduced into the machine, the operator grasps the handle 27 and moves the operating lever 25 toward the left as viewed in Fig. 1. This will move the frame 20 toward the left and both gear wheels are rotated an appropriatev distance by the rack bars 21 and 22, the gear wheel 4engaged by the rack bar 21 rotating counterclockwise,and the gear wheel engaged by the rack bar 22 rotating clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. The arm 42 carried by the gear clockwise, while the arm 41 carried by the i i upon itself, the .sides or margins of the fol-ded 1 sheet havingY first passed between the rollers Wheel 40 is rotated clockwise and the dog 46, therefore, engages' the teeth of the ratchet wheel 48 and the shaft is also rotated gear wheel 39 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction', wherefore the dog or pawl 44 carried by the arm connected to such gear wheel rides idly ver the teeth of the corresponding ratchet wheel. As this movement begins, the cani S-l acts upon the lever SG to rock the knife S9 in a direction to sever the .lbotweenfre-pa-ins `atl-oils 71 and 7st and f ed into the space between thejla-tes (32 .and Git, Y iwhile the curved margins or edges "G6 of time 1 plate an .overlapping erefoldino' o these marginal portions of the folded s 71 and fjvhere the margins are pressed to- VtlierollegJ soA that the edges are brought into intimatecontaet. and substantial .celieri en cektlie crimping bein of a very ne` character.` `When the folde Lover crimped edges are presented to the second set of rollers 72 and 75 they are again crimped and forced substantial coherence, after which the conipleted cup in a fiat condition is discharged through the passage S1 upon the shelf 82, where it is easily accessible to the operator. But part of this operation has taken place during the first or forward stroke of the manipulating lever, and the latter must be returned to its initial position by theoperator, thus reversing the direction of movement of the rack bars 21 and 22 when thegear wheel 39 comes into operation to irotate the shaft 3S, while the gear wheel 40 rotates idly, but the direction of rotation of the shaft 38 is the saine as before, Wherefore allftherparts actuated b v the shaft 3S continue to move in the same direction as before. v A L -The severalparts are Y`srtablysproportioned and timed in operation to perform their several fiinctions,so by a single forward and a single .return movement of the web, the severed strip is folded, the edges of the strip Where folded together are in turn folded upon themselves, and thisfolded portion is once more folded upon itself to imprison the first fold, and each fold is crimped to cause an adherence of the contacting surfaces, wherefore, because of the character of the paaiiin paper, there iS rovided a liquid-tightI joint along the edges of the cup `as-reeeived by the purchaser, and by forcing the sides ofthe cup one toward tne other that portion of the cup remote from the intermediate fold is opened up andthe cup is ready to receive liquid, and may be used .in the usual manner.

The cup constituting theproduct of the machine of the present invention, as well as the method of making such cup, is not herein claimed, sincethe cup in itself as well as the method ,of making it is claimed in another application for a sanitary drinking cup and method of making the same filed by' me on even date herewith.

Vlhat is claimed is in a machine for making sanitary `drinking cups, a support for a web from which the cupsare to be made ,f eeding means for the web, severing means fortlie web, 'folding means for folding the severed 'portion of the web intermediatelyA upon getliezi' and crimped by the milled edges of 2 itself, folding means and compressing means for the meeting sides of the folded web, an

inclosing means for the web supporting, severing and compressing means, and a suin-v gle means accessible fromthe exterior of 2. In a machins for making sanitary drinking cups, a support for ar web fromv which the cups are to be made, feeding means for the Web, severine means for the web, folding means forl folding the severed portion of the web intermediately -upon itself, folding means and compressing means for the meeting sides of the folded web, an inclosing means for the web;4 supporting,

severing and compressing means, andv a single meansl accessible from the exterior of t-he'inclosing mdans for imparting motion to the several web operating means in timed rela-tion to cause the formation and delivery 'o'fa cup from a Web of material Within the machine, thefeeding means for the web having a'range of movement to cause the feeding of a length of web into position to be severed from the web supply and folded into another cup on a subsequent 'operation of the mechanism.

3. A machine for manufacturing and delivering a drinkingcup at each o eration ofthe machine, comprising means or supporting a web of material, means for severing a blank from the web, means for folding the blank into cup form with folded over edges, means for pressing said edges into cohesive liquid-tight relation, a casing inriosing the cup forming mechanisml and web support, and a single manipulating member for the web treating means accessible from the exterior of 7the casing.

4. ln a machine of the class described, a casing, mechanisms for the complete formation of the article to be vended housed in said casing, a reciprocatory manipulating member for said mechanisms extending into said casing, and connect-ing means Within theA casing between the manipulating member and the first-named mechanisms for convertingfboth movements ofv a complete reciprocation of the manipulating member into a one-Way movement of said rst-named mechanisms.

5. In a machine of the class described,

mechanisms for the complete formation of Bti the article to be vended, a casing for inclosing said mechanism, a one-Way mechanism vfor causing 'a timedoperation of the article forming mechanisms and also inclosed by the casing, manipulating means for actuating the one-Way mechanism accessible to an operator at the exterior of the casing, said manipulating means heilig mounted for reciprocation from a position of rest to a limit' of movement and then back again, to the position of rest to complete the cycle of operations, and means Within the casing for converting both movements of the manipulating means into a one-Way movement of the article forming mechanisms 'substantially coextensive in time of operation With both movements of a' complete reciprocation of the manipulating means.

6. In a machine for manufacturing and vending drinking cups, means for the support of a roll of fabric in web form, an elongated guide for the web, a severing means for the Web movable in traversing relation to the guide, a folding blade movable in traversing relation to the guide intermediate of the portion of the web cut off by the severingmeans, compressingr means for the edges of the folded web sections between the fold and the free endspf the folded web section, folding means for folding the compressed edge p 1tion of the Aweb section upon itsci toward the center line of the folded web section,

compressing means for the folded edges of the web section, foldinc means for again folding the folded compressed edges of the web sect-ion, upon itself toward the -center line of the Web section, and means for compressing the doubled folded edges of the web section prior to delivery of the com pletcd cup from the machine.

7. In a machine for manufacturing and vending drinking cups, means .for the support of a roll* of fabric in web form, an elongated guide for the Aweb, a severing means for the web movable in traversing relation to the guide, a folding blade movable in traversing relation to the guide intermediate of the portion of the Web cut off by the severing means, compressing means for the edges of the folded web section between the fold and the free ends of the folded Web section, folding meansfor folding each compressed edge portion of the web section upon itself toward the center line of the folded Web section, compressing means for the fold` ed edges of the Web section, folding means for again folding the folded compressed edgesof the web section upon itself toward the centerline of the web section, and means for compressing the doubled folded edges of the Web section prior to delivery of the completed cup from the machine, each compressing means for the folded sides'of the initially folded web section being provided with meansfor indenting the portions of the web engaged thereby.

8. In a machine for manufacturing and vending drinking cups, means for the support of a roll of fabric in web form, an elongated guide for the web, a severing means for the web movable in traversing relation to the guide, a folding blade movable in traversing relation to the guide intermediate of the portion of the web cut off by the 'severing means, compressing means for '.he edges of the folded Web section between the fold and the free ends of the folded web secs tion, folding means for folding each compressed edge portion of the web section upon itself toward the center lineof the folded web section, compressing meansfor the folded edges of the Web section, folding means for again `folding the folded, compressed edges of the web section upon itself toward the center line of the web section,`

and means for compressing the double folded edges of the Web section prior to delivery of the completed cup from the machine, each compressing means for the folded sides of the initially folded web section being provided With means for indenting the portions of the web engaged thereby, and said indenting means being shaped' to .produce closely adjacent crimping of the folded over por tions of the sides of the initially folded web section.

9. In a machine for the purpose described, a support for a web of fabric, an elongated guide for the. Webof fabric", means for severing the web of fabric when located in the guide, a folding means movable into engagement with the severed fabric when located in the guide, and movable transversely of the latter at a point substantially midway of the distance between the severing means and the end of the guide remote from saidv press the folded over portions of the blank,

said compressing rollers having milled peripheries to produce indentations in the folded over portions.

11. In a machine for the purpose described, a'folding mechanism comprising a member traversa-ble by a web of fabric, said member' having aA succession of edge portions shaped to fold over the edges of a web in successive folds toward the center line of the web, and a succession of feeding rollers for the web interspersed with and related to the 'edge folding lportions of the folding mechanism and of a width to engage and compress the folded over edges only.

12. In a machine for the purpose..def scribed, a folding mechanism comprising a member travers/able by web of fabric, said member having a succession of edge portions shaped to fold over the edges of a vWeb in successive folds toward the center line of kmthe web, andy feeding rollers for lthe web related tothe edge folding portions of the 'folding' mechanism to engage and compress the folded over edges, ,said compressing roll- 40 ers being arranged on opposite faces of the web When traversing the folding mechanism and provided with milled peripheries to indent the edge folded portions of the web.

18. In la machine for the purpose described, a folding mechanism comprising platesin spaced relation to be traversed by a web, 'said plates being successively narrower With respect to the direction of travel of the web from the point of entrance of the web into the folding mechanism to the point of exit thereof and provided with edge turning means for folding over the edges of the Web toward the center line thereof, and pairs of feeding rollers successively closer together toward-the exit end of the folding'mechanism and related to the 4edge turning portions of the folding mechanism to engage and compress the marginal por tions of the web.

14.11'1 a machine for the purpose dee scribed, a folding mechanism comprising plates in spaced relation to be traversed by a web, said plates being successively narrower with respect to tne direction of travel of the web from the point of entrance of the web into the folding mechanism to the point of exit thereof and provided with edge turning means for folding over the edges of the web toward the center line thereof, and pairs of feeding rollers successively closer together toward the exit end of the folding mechanism and related to the edge turning portions of the folding mechanism to engage and compress the marginal portions .of the web, the rollers having their periphcries formed to indent the marginal portions of the web Where engaged thereby.

15.1n a machine for the purpose described, a folding mechai-iism Icomprising plates in 'spaced relation to be traversed by a web, said plates being' successively narrower with respect to the direction of travel of the web from the point of entrance of the web into the folding mechanism to the point of exit thereof and provided with edge turning means for folding over the edges of' the web toward the center line thereof, and pairs of feeding rollers suc cessively closer together toward .the exitend of the folding mechanism and related to the edge turning port-ions of the folding mecha'- nism'to engage and compress the marginal portions of the web, the folding mechanism having associated therewith a device for imparting to the web an initial fold ,on a line transverse to the length of the web.'

1G. In a machine for producing sanitary drinking cups, means for folding an .elongated blank of suitable 4material upon itself intermediately of its length, means for folding the side edges of the folded blank toward the center line thereof under a pressure to cause cohesion of the material of the blank at such folds, and means for again folding the folded side edges toward the center line of the blank to ini-prison the first folds between the second folds and the body of the cup. y'

17. In a machine for producing sanitary drinking cups, means for folding an elongated blank of suitable material upon itself intermediate ofits length, means for folding the side edges of the-folded blank toward the center line thereof, means for compressing the folded edges, means for again folding the folded edges toward the centerline of the folded blank to imprison the rst folds, and means for applying compression to the doubly folded edges, the pressure employed by the compressing means being sufficient to cause cohesion of the `material employed solely by such pressure.

18. In a machine for producing sanitary drinking cups, means for folding an elongated blank of suitable material upon itself intermediate of its length, means for compressing the edges of the folded blank together, means for folding the compressed side edges of the folded blank toward the center line thereof, means for compressing gether, means for folding the compressed side edges of the folded blank toward the center line thereof, means for compressing the folded edges, means for again folding the folded side edges toward the center line -of the folded blank to imprison the first ,folds, and means for again compressing 'the doubled folded edges, the compressing means being each provided with means for indenting the matelial of the blank Where engaged thereby. Y

20. In a machine for producing sanitary drinking cups, means for carrying a Web of -Waterproofed paper, means for cutting elongated blanks from said web, means for folding each blank intermediately upon itself, means for folding the side edges of theinter1nediately folded blank toward the center line thereof and for compressing the folded edges into cohesive relation, an inclosing casing `for the Web and the sever- 'the mechanisms act-ing upon the web and blank severed therefroim i 2l. In a machine for producing sanitary drinking cups, means for folding a sheet of Waterproof paper intermediately on itself, means for folding the side edges of the sheet toward the centerline thereof, and means for applying compressive force to the side edges of the sheet both before and afterfolding the same. v

22. In a machine for producing sanitary drinking cups, means for folding a sheet of Waterproof paper intermediately on itself, means for folding the side edges of the sheet tov-:ard the center line thereof, and means for applying'compressive force to the side edges of the. sheet. both before and after folding the same, said compressing means being shaped to produce indentations in the material of the sheet Where engaged thereby.

ln testimony, that l claim the foregoingasV my own, l have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES POWERS. lVitnesscs HARRY ll. ANNIN, Tironas L. SHANGER. 

